The Battles After War
by Just Reading Through
Summary: The war may have been over, but there were still battles to be fought, battles that couldn't be solved by the swing of a sword. They were the battles within. To live, one had to accept reality. But there was always someone who tried to fight against it. Rated for language and violence. Manga spoilers.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kimetsu no Yaiba or its characters.**

* * *

Sanemi had never woken up in more pain than he did now. The battles that gave him the scars he had didn't hold a candle to the beating he received from Kibutsuji. _Kibutsuji_. Sanemi jolted, only to groan from the pain that shot through him. Was the red-eyed bastard finally dead? He slowly opened his eyes, wincing at the bright light that penetrated through the small opening, while attempting to sit up.

"Shinazugawa, you shouldn't get up just yet." The voice of a kakushi broke through the silence.

"Where's Muzan?" Sanemi voice came out hoarse as he yanked off his oxygen mask.

"Please, Shinazugawa, you're still not completely recovered." The kakushi tentatively placed his hands on Sanemi's shoulders.

"Get your fucking hands off." Sanemi snarled, ripping out the IV drips that were connected to him. "Give me my sword. Where is the bastard?"

"Kibutsuji is dead, Shinazugawa." An authoritative voice came from behind the kakushi. "You will be too if you rip your stitches."

_Kibutsuji. Dead?_ The two words couldn't have gone in the same sentence.

"How—"

"Did he die? With the sacrifices of many, you guys were able to hold him off until sunrise. Several people reported seeing his body disintegrate." Aoi Kanzaki approached his bed, pouring Sanemi a cup of water. "You need to rest more. It's only been three days."

"Who's alive?" Sanemi slowly lowered his back as Kanzaki reattached the needles.

"So far, we have thirty-two slayers in intensive care. Of those people, you would only know Kanroji. Kanroji has been in a coma and hasn't moved a muscle."

"What about Oyakata-sama?"

"The new Oyakata-sama has been trying to account for the dead and tying up loose ends. Now, please, rest. We will bring you something to eat."

* * *

The next time he woke up, Sanemi was greeted by the sight of a kakushi gently placing a food tray on the tableside.

"Good evening, Shinazugawa. If you need anything else, please call me. My name is Haruto. After you finish eating, I will change your bandages." Haruto quickly ducked out of the room. Sanemi glanced at the food given, nose scrunching when he saw the bland gruel. He was craving something that had flavor, namely ohagi. Reluctantly, he reached over to grab the bowl and spoon, struggling to hold the spoon after losing his pointer and middle finger.

If his memory served him correctly, the demon girl arrived at the scene the moment Iguro was cut down. The moment she arrived, she ran directly in Kibutsuji's attack, spilling her blood over her brother. Then from the flames that seemed to have ignited from her blood, her brother stood up, shouting something that Sanemi was unable to hear from the blood roaring in his ears. Then everything seemed to have slowed down as Kibutsuji directed all his attention to the boy. Sanemi distinctly remembered Kamado's blade turning red and his mark spreading across his forehead and cheek, as well as Kibutsuji's face. Was it fear on Kibutsuji's face? Then it was as though true hell broke loose. Kibutsuji's attack grew exponentially faster, cutting down dozens of other lower ranked hunters and taking off Tomioka's arm. Sanemi himself didn't come out unscathed, losing his left eye in the process. He didn't even have the time to see if that was when Himejima died before he lost consciousness. _I shouldn't be here; I was fucking asking to be sliced up._ Sanemi groaned as pain shot through his head, causing him to place his left hand over his remaining eye. As he caught his breath again, Sanemi remembered his last sight being a flash of a simple haori over a kimono in front of him. It was the outfit of the demon girl, he realized. She had done something.

His lips curled in disgust. He was saved by a demon. He preferred to die than be saved by that thing. Yet, here he was. Breathing and struggling to hold a spoon. One of two Pillars remaining from the last generation. Separated eternally from Genya.

"Shinazugawa, are you done?" Haruto reappeared.

"I've stomached as much of that nasty shit as I could." Sanemi placed his spoon in the bowl. Haruto quickly cleaned up the food before taking out new rolls of bandages.

"Your injuries were quite extensive. As you know, you've lost two fingers on your right hand. Your abdomen was almost falling apart before we stitched if back together. You lost your left eye. It's a miracle that you survived. Even though none of your other wounds were critical, they've dealt damage. We were deciding whether to amputate your left leg, but Kanzaki deemed it to be salvageable. But the muscles in it are so torn that even if they did heal, you would forever have a limp." Haruto finished bandaging, collecting the stained bandages to throw them away.

"Is there going to be a funeral for the dead?" Haruto paused,

"Oyakata-sama organized a final resting place for all those who died. He plans on formally opening it tomorrow. But Kanzaki recommended bed rest for at least two more days. Even if you are a pillar, your body still hasn't recovered even half of its abilities."

"I didn't ask whether or not you thought that I could attend." Sanemi scoffed. Haruto paused,

"It is not expected of you to attend is what Oyakata-sama said. Please excuse me." He scurried out, leaving Sanemi alone once again.

* * *

It was a cloudy day, not a sight of the sun that the hunters cherished. Sanemi winced as he slowly knelt down, preparing to greet his new leader. The hushed whispers of the remaining hunters that quieted down upon his appearance became prevalent again.

"It's Shinazugawa. He's already awake."

"The pillars are something else."

"Just think about how deadly Kibutsuji had to be to take so many pillars." Sanemi twitched. The whispers were beginning to get on his nerves.

"Do you think that _thing_ will attend?"

"I don't—"

"Oyakata-sama is arriving." The synchronized voices of the two daughters of the late leader silenced the whispers, preventing Sanemi from finding out what the last conversation was about. The new successor elegantly emerged from behind the doors, flanked by his sisters and the former sound and flame pillars. The silence continued as he sat down on the cushion that was provided.

"With the sacrifices of many hunters, we have finally been able to take down the progenitor. No longer will any more demons appear. No longer will you have to constantly put your lives on the line. No longer will a human be killed by a demon. You all have my and my family's deepest gratitude for so selflessly devoting your lives to this cause. However, this victory came with a steep price. We have lost so many of all ranks. I ask for all of you to dedicate today to your fallen comrades who gave the ultimate sacrifice. Please, whenever you find the time, visit the graves dedicated to the fallen. Continue to live the future they created for you. This victory is yours." The calming voice of their new leader rang out. Murmurs rippled through the audience and Sanemi could hear several sniffles. They were effectively silenced when Oyakata-sama cleared his throat,

"Regarding your futures, your efforts will not be ignored. There are not enough words to express my gratitude to you all. Therefore, if you wish to resign from the corps, you may do so. The government has agreed to give each one of you compensation, including a location to live and possible education and employment. Thank you for your services." Excitement coursed through the ranks as they dispersed.

Sanemi stood up as quickly as his injuries would allow him. The hunters gave him a wide berth to walk towards the graveyard. He walked towards the grave he frequented: Kanae Kocho. _Kanae, we finally defeated them. No one has to die like you again. If only we killed him sooner, then maybe you would've been here today. _Sanemi realized that there was a new grave with the name Shinobu Kocho engraved on the stone next to it. As he continued to limp around the area, reading the names, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of anger every time he recognized a name. Muichiro Tokito. Obanai Iguro. Gyomei Himejima. Giyu Tomioka. He stopped at the large grave dedicated to the late head of the Ubuyashiki family. He gently knelt before it before rising to find the grave dedicated to the last person he cherished.

After several minutes, he finally saw his family name. He noticed that it was next to a grave that had Kamado on it. _So the kid died._ As he approached the grave, however, he saw someone was already kneeling in front of the grave for Kamado. It was a girl judging by the petite figure and long hair. The closer he got, the more features he could decipher. He stopped as he felt a cold chill running down his back. It wasn't possible. Kibutsuji was dead. The demons should've been gone. But Sanemi knew his sight didn't trick him. There was only one thing in the hunters' headquarters that wore a plain robe over a kimono. It was the demon girl.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kimetsu no Yaiba or its characters.**

**Jasper: My intention for this fanfic is for it be a multichapter story. **

**I have a general plot thought out but the direction may change depending on how it progresses. Thank you for taking the time to read.**

* * *

His vision narrowed down to the figure that was kneeling before the graves. Why was she there? How was it even possible? Before he even realized it, he had her pinned underneath him with his left hand around her neck. At first she struggled and fought against him, but once she saw who he was, she stopped.

"Why the fuck are you here?" He shouted. He noticed that she was missing her muzzle, but her nails were still sharp and she had slitted pupils. She was still a demon. He tightened his hold around her neck.

"P-pray." She choked out.

"I don't give a shit about that. Why are you still alive? You should be the last thing to be walking around right now. What did you do?" He snarled as he lowered his face. She didn't answer this time. Perhaps it was because she couldn't as Sanemi held her with enough strength to kill a human. "You should be the thing that's dead. You should've died when that red-eyed piece of shit did."

"What do you think you're doing to her?" A pair of arms wrapped around his shoulders, dragging Sanemi off. He bit back a shout of pain as he felt some of his stitches snap and blood began rushing out again.

"Nezuko, get away!" Another voice echoed in the background. Sanemi recognized the voice, but was unable to place it as blood roared in his ears. He attempted breaking free, but realized that he was too weak. The person who held him wasn't as injured as he was and was strong in their own right. Not one to be defeated, he started shouting at her disappearing figure,

"I'm not fucking done with you! Not until I choke the last breath out of you and see the light disappear from your eyes. Get back here, demon!" Before he could see what happened next, his vision blacked.

* * *

The next thing he knew, he was back in bed and the pain in his chest was worse than before.

"Shinazugawa, how are you feeling?" Haruto walked up to him.

"Where is Oyakata-sama?" Sanemi flung the sheets off of him.

"Shinazugawa, that is enough. Your body isn't able to keep up with you." Kanzaki appeared in the doorway.

"I will get rest once I talk to Oyakata-sama." Sanemi roughly brushed past Kanzaki. He stalked down the hallway, not glancing at the people who scrambled to bow to him. Once he arrived at the familiar garden, only then did he stop to catch his breath.

"Sanemi." He glanced up to see his leader standing at the pavillion, causing him to quickly kneel down.

"Oyakata-sama, there are some things that I would like to discuss."

"Yes, I owe you an explanation." The boy sat down. "I have told everyone I could about this after the final battle, although I have yet to get to the people who have been in the infirmary. Contrary to our belief, after Kibutsuji was defeated, the demons did not disappear. Kamado Nezuko is living proof of it. Why this occurred, we don't know. But the reality is that it did."

He sighed, "I truly wanted everything to be done and allow you all to find some semblance of peace. But it seemed as though fate had something else in mind. According to our intel, there are as many as four hundred demons still roaming around, going crazy after Kibutsuji's death. I have allowed the hunters to decide whether or not they wished to stay. So far, about seventy have agreed, but of those seventy, many are still injured and recovering. Several are already on missions to find the demons, but there are not nearly enough hunters."

The head of the Ubuyashiki family looked down at Sanemi, "Kamado Nezuko has volunteered to be sent out to kill the demons. She is still on our side. I ask that you continue to allow her to live amongst us. She has done a great service to us after so many of our people have been incapacitated." Sanemi lowered his head in deliberation. His mind was still reeling from the new information. The demons were still alive. They still weren't done. He felt the familiar anger boil beneath him, threatening to explode.

"As you wish." Sanemi reluctantly agreed.

"Before you return to the infirmary, I will ask you the same thing that I've asked everyone else. Do you still wish to fight as a hunter and risk your life? You have the option to refuse. You have sacrificed more than enough."

"Oyakata-sama, I have sworn as a pillar that I would fight the demons until my dying breath. I will see that this battle is over." Ubuyashiki smiled melancholically,

"Thank you for your selfless decision. Once you have healed, I will send you to your first mission."

* * *

Sanemi found himself walking back to the graves. He approached his brother's once more with some ohagi in hand. He noticed there were fresh flowers resting at the base of the grave. The same flowers were beneath Kamado Tanjiro's grave. The demon girl must have placed them there. He didn't have the energy to summon any more anger, sitting with his head between his hands after placing the ohagi down.

"Genya, why did you join the hunters? Why didn't you just focus on yourself for once? You should be the one walking around. But maybe now you can find some peace of mind." He was barely aware of the presence of other hunters who were walking around behind him. Slowly, he got up, only to collapse at Kanae's memorial. He had frequented her grave as a source of comfort, and today was no different.

"Kanae, turns out the battle isn't over yet. Even after that bastard died, his kind is still around. This hell is never going to end." He clenched his teeth, "Everyone's gone. I'm tired. I don't know if I can do this anymore."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kimetsu no Yaiba or its characters.**

* * *

"Message! Message! Head towards a village in the southeast. There are reports of a demon in the area." Sanemi's crow cawed. Sanemi donned his familiar haori before adjusting his blade. It had been a month since the death of Kibutsuji, and he was finally strong enough to be sent on his first mission. He slid the door open, squinting in the sunlight before running. He intended to arrive at the village by dusk.

He eventually approached a modest looking village, scanning his surroundings as he approached it. People were already scrambling to close their doors and windows, fearfully looking at him.

"Young man, you should find shelter. People have been disappearing lately." An old villager called out. Sanemi ignored the warning, continuing to walk around to search for any sign of a demon.

As the moon rose higher, Sanemi felt a murderous presence behind him. It was closing in on him fast. Instinctively, he crouched down with his hand already on his hilt, turning around swiftly and parrying the claws that were coming to him. The demon flipped over him, landing behind him.

"Looks like we have someone who can fight." The demon cackled, sniffing the air. "You smell delectable. Better than the average human. I'm having a feast tonight and then I can finally match the power of an upper moon!"

"You saved me the trouble of looking for you. I would thank you if you weren't a piece of shit." Sanemi turned around to face the demon. It had the distinct appearance of a humanoid demon: slitted eyes and pointed ears. It had two horns growing out of its forehead and wore a tattered kimono.

"You? Handicapped? Looking for me?" The demon threw his head back, laughing. "I wonder how long you'll last before I eat you."

"Handicapped or not, you'll never eat me." Sanemi looked down at the head that was still rolling around on the ground with laughter. The head stopped laughing, its expression morphing into one of horror.

"When did you cut my head?" The neck began disintegrating.

"Match the power of an upper moon?" Sanemi sneered, stabbing his sword through its right eye, pinning the head down. He kneeled down to look at the demon in the eye. "Don't make me laugh. You would never have been able to get there. Rot in hell, bastard." He twisted his sword.

"D—damn you." The demon gurgled as it vanished. Sanemi stood up, swiftly returning his sword into its sheath.

"Message! Message! Head to the north!"

* * *

"You damn wench. Why are you fighting with them?" Sanemi's ears perked up as he heard the unmistakable snarl of a demon. He was heading back to headquarters after spending two weeks outside, ready to switch roles with Kanroji so she would hunt while he protected the Ubuyashiki family.

He was told that there would be other hunters in the area, but had yet to encounter one. It seemed that he finally found one. As he searched for the source, the curses grew louder. "You reek of human, and yet you're a demon. You're neither a human nor a demon!"

When Sanemi finally found the location, the sun was just beginning to rise. He was greeted with the scene of the female demon calmly tying a demon on a tree. The demon itself was struggling to put out its flaming kimono while also trying to rip the rope that was looped around its neck, visibly panicking as the sun appeared. "Let me go! I can't die. I have to get stronger!" The demon girl placed a hand on its chest,

"It's alright. Rest." She didn't receive a response other than screaming as the sun burned the demon. She looked visibly upset as the demon vanished, still screaming in pain. _What the fuck did she even want to accomplish?_ Sanemi narrowed his eye, confused. The demon girl tightened her haori before setting off again, oblivious to Sanemi's gaze.

* * *

"Good work, Shinazugawa." Kanroji patted him on the back before jumping into the dark forest. He grunted in acknowledgement, setting off to find his estate. It was empty. Unlike the Butterfly Estate, there was no infirmary; its sole purpose was to act as a place for him to stay and train when he was stationed at headquarters.

A thin layer of dust had accumulated from disuse, but he ignored it, setting out for the kitchen to make ohagi. Sitting down at the table, he felt an emptiness that he couldn't experience when he was traveling. It swallowed him as he sat alone with a candle for a source of light. It was different from the quietness before the final battle. Back then it felt ominously peaceful, but now it appeared to devour his sanity, threatening to drown him. He needed to do something.

Unable to shake off the uneasiness, he decided to exhaust himself to sleep. He dragged out the bamboo targets he used for practice, setting them up in a circle. He stood in the middle and drew his sword. Despite him closing his eye, he could see flashes of Kibutsuji's blade-like arms swinging in front of him, attempting to slice him. With a shout, he swung his sword, destroying the image and the targets.

By the time he collapsed on the ground, it was covered with broken pieces of bamboo. He closed his eye, hoping to fall into a dreamless sleep. But even in sleep, he wasn't spared. In front of him was the disintegrating body of Genya as he helplessly stood, unable to do anything other than cry.

"So…rry. Tha…nk y…ou 'Ne…mi." Sanemi woke up with a start as Genya's voice reverberated through his mind.

"Shit." Sanemi muttered as he quickly wiped the tears that came in his sleep. He grabbed more bamboo targets from behind his dojo.

* * *

The days began to blur together as he forced himself into a routine. Eat, train, visit the dead, patrol, eat, train, hopefully fall asleep, wake up. The process repeated itself. There was no one to talk to, other than Uzui who occasionally dropped in, as the other hunters generally ignored, too intimidated by his scars and the somber aura he gave off.

Today, as he walked towards the graves, he overheard several hunters talking around the corner,

"Did you hear? Seventeen hunters already died on one mission."

"Oh man, I hope I don't go on that mission. You think they're going to send demon girl next time? She can't die."

"Honestly, why haven't they?"

"I don't know."

"Or maybe they could find another freak who can eat demons."

"I heard that guy finally died after being cut in half. Even then he was still conscious."

"That's gross!"

"Yeah, and get this. His body disintegrated like a demon's."

"To be fair, he wasn't far from one with that foul attitude and him eating demons." The group hummed in agreement. Sanemi clenched his teeth, turning the corner to beat them within an inch of their life. Before he could, he heard the slayers cry out in pain as their backs thumped against the wooden walls.

"Quit talking shit about Genya!" The boar mask of Hashibira Inosuke was unmistakable as he stood over the hunters menacingly.

"You should use your time to practice rather than disrespect the dead." Agatsuma Zenistu piped up as he poked out from behind Hashibira with Tsuyuri Kanao and their demon accomplice.

"I have time to spare! Fight me!" Hashibira swung his swords around, haphazardly.

"Zenitsu, your face is cracking again." Tsuyuri noted. True to her words, Sanemi was surprised when he did see cracks appear on Agatsuma's face.

"No way!" The panicked voice of Agatsuma overpowered Hashibira's goading as he placed his hand on his face. "I thought I was done with this. Where's Yushiro? I need more medicine!" The lightning breather quickly ran off in the opposite direction.

"Inosuke, you're injured. Besides, Shinazugawa is right there." Despite her right eye being nearly blind, Tsuyuri still had one of the sharpest vision in the organization.

Hashibara quickly moved aside, putting a protective arm in front of his demon friend. Sanemi paid them no attention, focusing on the cowering group of hunters. He grabbed the collar of the first hunter, lifting him into the air.

"Watch what you say, kid, because I'm going to slaughter your ass." Sanemi tightened his hold around the shaking hunter. Just as the hunter began frothing at the mouth, a crow cawed,

"Message! Message! Shinazugawa Sanemi and Kamado Nezuko are to report to Oyakata-sama's garden." Sanemi tsked, throwing down the boy he had in his hands.

"Watch your back next time." He snarled. He stalked off, conscious of the fact that Kamado Nezuko was just two steps behind him.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kimetsu no Yaiba or its characters.**

* * *

"Oyakata-sama is arriving." Sanemi and, much to his surprise, Kamado quickly kneeled. As Oyakata-sama sat down, Sanemi heard the gentle rustling of his haori.

"Thank you for coming here so quickly." The ever-gentle voice calmed Sanemi. "Nezuko, I apologize for calling you here right after you got back, but this particular demon is extremely concerning. It's possible that we're facing a demon that has strength similar to that of a Twelve Moon. You might have already heard, but most of the hunters who were sent were killed. We can't afford any more casualties, so I'm going to send you two in together." Sanemi's head snapped up while the demon beside him jerked. He had to work with a demon?

"I understand that there is animosity between the two of you. However, you two are the best ones we have right now. Hashibara and Tsuyuri just came back and have wounds to treat. Agatsuma has yet to be completely cured from the curse he suffered during the final battle. Kanroji is currently on another mission to find another demon. I ask that you two set aside your differences for this mission." Sanemi was looking at the figure that sat in front of him, but he couldn't see anything. He felt the gaze of the demon on him. Clenching his teeth, he acquiesced,

"As you wish." The eight year old leader visibly relaxed,

"The reports have been saying that the demon resides in a village at the base of Mount Mikachi."

* * *

Sanemi stalked down the beaten trail, clenching and unclenching his hands. They had yet to have a conversation even after three hours of following the crow.

"Demon," Sanemi growled. He could feel Kamado direct her gaze to him. "If you get in my way, I'll cut you down."

He received no response, causing him to look back to see if she was still following him. She was. He scoffed.  
"You are angry?" He started at her voice.  
"Why wouldn't I be? You are the very thing that I'm trying to kill." He snarled.

"No. You're tired." He was thrown off by her accusation. About to retort, he was interrupted by the crow.

"The village is in sight! The village is in sight!" Sanemi turned his attention to the scene that was unfolding in front of him.

* * *

It wasn't much of a village. It was deserted. There was neither a single light nor a single person in sight. As he walked past the empty houses, he felt an impending sense of dread. The windows were creaking eerily as the wind created an ominous whistling.

He noticed that the demon girl had inadvertently crept closer to him. Resting his hand on the hilt of his blade, he walked to the closest house. He stepped over the broken door, taking note of his surroundings. The little furniture that remained in the building were either slashed, broken, or overturned and were slowly being covered by weeds.

After checking to make sure that there truly was no one in the house, he walked out, about to enter the next one. He stopped when he realized that his accomplice was looking down the abandoned street, deeper into the village.

"There are people coming." She whispered. Just as she finished, shrieks echoed through the village, followed by the sound of running. He sprinted towards the source, barely able to make out two small figures. As he began drawing his blade, they stopped.

"Who are you, mister?" It was the distinctive voice of a child.

"What are you doing here?" His grip never faltered, but Sanemi quickly sheathed his sword completely. All three children, one boy and one girl who all appeared to be around six or seven, broke out in large smiles.

"We're playing hide-and-seek with our mom!" The girl piped up.

"We want to win this time. Who's that lady behind you?" The demon caught up to him.

"They are children?" She peeked from behind him.

"Human children." He nodded. The children looked at each other, confused.

"Mister, lady, do you want to meet our mom?" The girl asked.

"Hana, that'll ruin the game!" The boy instantly shouted.

"But, Kenta, we never have new people!" The girl, Hana, pointed out. The boy pouted before huffing,

"Fine. But tomorrow, we have to win!" Hana broke out in a smile.

"Come this way! Our mom should still be looking for everyone else." Sanemi shared a glance with Kamado, who showed nothing in return. They followed the children.

* * *

"Every single day, we play hide-and-seek with our mom."

"She's amazing at finding all of us. But one day, we'll be better than her." Sanemi paid little attention to the rambling children in front of him. The demon, Sanemi noticed, seemed to have developed a fascination with the small children, looking at them as though they were the center of her world. As they continued to walk, the distance between the dilapidated houses grew.

"You guys live here?" Sanemi looked at the two in front of him. Hana eagerly nodded,

"Isn't it cool?" She began waving her hands around. "Don't worry, mister. I was scared when I first saw it too. But mom said it's designed to be like a spooky fairy tale for us to have fun!"

"We have our family anyways." Kenta said it as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. They reached a final large house that was in a much cleaner state. The air, however, was considerably heavier than before. It reeked as well.

"Look, it's Akira, Rokuta, and Yui! That means mom only has Hina to find." Hana skipped over to a squabble of children who were wrestling around in front of the building. They too were human.

"And us." Kenta muttered under his breath before joining Hana.

"Who are those people behind you, Hana?" The lone girl in the new group, Yui, asked.

"They were lost in the village and wanted to meet mom."

"How old are you?" One of the boys looked suspiciously at Sanemi.

"What's it got to do with you?"

"We've never seen another adult other than mom." Hana explained. Sanemi glanced around, placing his hand back on his hilt,

"When is she—"

"Is that a real sword, mister?" Kenta shouted, suddenly aware of the weapon resting on his belt.

"Are you samurai?"

"That's so cool."

"Show it to us, mister!"

"Can we hold it?" The children began shouting and pushing against each other, trying to take a look at the offending object.

"Hana, Kenta, there you are!" A foreign voice came from behind Sanemi. He felt chills run down his back. _When did she get behind us?_ The two hunters whipped around to see a woman in a plain black kimono. Her black hair was wrapped tightly in a bun and her eyes were also black. She held the hand of a female child.

"Mom!" All the children rushed over to the woman, convulging around her legs.

"We found new people!" Hana pointed over to them. The woman looked up and smiled. Despite her smile, Sanemi felt no warmth from her.

"That's nice. Let's invite them for dinner so I can meet them."


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kimetsu no Yaiba or its characters**

* * *

The floorboards groaned under his weight as Sanemi sat down. They were led to a place that appeared to be a living room, with a single table in the middle and tatami mats as the woman and Hana and Hina went off into another room.

_A demon is raising six human children?_ It was almost unheard of. His mind searched for an answer. Demons never worked with humans, much less cared for them.

"Wow, lady, your nails are so long! Your eyes are also a very pretty color." Yui remarked as she looked at Kamado. Kamado looked down at Yui, kneeling down to pat the child's head.

"My name is Rokuta! What's your name, lady?" A boy with a bowl cut eagerly introduced himself to Kamado. Her hand froze mid stroke as her gaze turned to the boy.

"Kamado. Nezuko." She said slowly, turning all her attention to Rokuta. She scanned the boy, looking at his back as though she expected to find something. She finally gently placed her hand on his cheek, wiping away a smudge of dirt with her thumb before pulling him into a hug. Rokuta immediately returned the hug.

"Did you sleep well?" Kamado suddenly said.

"What are you talking about?" Rokuta giggled.

"Don't give mom or Tanjiro too much trouble." Kamado appeared to be in a trance as she released her hold onto Rokuta to caress his cheek. Sanemi narrowed his eye in confusion.

"Who's Tanjiro?" Rokuta tilted his head as his eyebrows furrowed.

"No one you would know. Kid. Why are you here?" Sanemi interrupted, leaning forward.

"Our mom saved all of us! We're all orphans, but she found us at different times." Yui chirped.

"She says that she always goes out to see if she can save more kids like us. She's the best!" Rokuta vigorously added. Sanemi opened his mouth to ask something else but was interrupted by the opening of the door.

"Time to eat." It was the woman. Hina and Hana were missing. Sanemi stood up, walking up to the woman.

"What the fuck did you do to them?"

* * *

For a single moment, Sanemi felt an intense murderous aura roll off the woman. It was quickly masked when she smiled,

"They're coming soon. Don't worry. How about we talk somewhere else so the children can eat?" Kamado immediately stood up, putting Rokuta behind her.

"You stay here, Kamado. Look after them." Sanemi ordered. She paused, glaring at him before looking down at Rokuta. She sat back down. Meanwhile, Sanemi stalked after the woman, who appeared to be walking outside.

"Does he have a problem with mom, Miss. Kamado?" He heard Rokuta's confused voice. He didn't hear a response as the door slammed shut.

The woman standing in front of him turned. Her eyes showed the telltale slits of a demon while fangs poked out from her mouth. Sanemi drew his blade.

"It's annoying, you know? Constantly having to kill hunters. It's a nice dessert. But all I want is to raise the kids."

"Cut the bullshit. Where did you really find the kids?" The woman giggled, placing a hand on her cheek.

"Orphans. I killed their parents and took them in. Babies are simply the cutest. So trusting. A simple change in tone made them come running towards me." Sanemi felt a vein bulge as he suddenly jumped forward, swinging at the woman. But she wasn't done; she continued to talk as she dodged. "I always wanted children. But I couldn't because of an injury I sustained when I practiced. I thought that I could when I had a new body. But Kibutsuji never told me that I would be a demon, that I would have to eat people. Needless to say, all the adults stayed away from me. So I decided that I would get rid of them and take their children for my own. I'll nurture them, raise them until they're adults. Then I'll go find more. I'll be the mother they want. I'll make sure they'll never lose their innocence this cruel world."

"You're a sick fucker." Sanemi growled. "You could rival that red-eyed freak for being so self-centered." He grunted as he parried her claws with his sword. His next swing tore off a part of her kimono.

"These were the cards I was dealt in life. I just did what I had to so I could meet my needs." Her fist connected with Sanemi's gut, forcing him back.

"How many kids became your victims?" He steadied his breathing.

"I lost count." His next strike missed her by a hair. The trees in the back fell as the force of his slash carried through.

"You have no fucking right to be called their mother." He snarled as they traded blows.

"Yet they still call me that." Her nails shallowly cut the skin of his arm. She smiled.

"What's so funny, bitch?"

"The battle's over."

"It's not over until you're dead." Sanemi prepared to unleash another technique, before he lurched forward. _What the fuck?_ His surroundings blurred as her voice became distant.

"I have a certain type of drug in my nails. It's so potent that a simple cut is enough. It pains me that I have to kill my children, so I make sure that they die peacefully." Sanemi shook his head in an attempt to focus, but to no avail.

"You're not the only one who has a stupid trick." Sanemi turned his blade, cutting his arm.

"What—" Her voice cut off when she slapped her hand over her mouth as she inhaled the smell of his blood, staggering as drool began dripping out.

"I'll kill you before your stupid drug takes over with my own, demon." He lunged forward, preparing to cut off her head.

'_You're late, Sanemi. Don't you know it's rude to keep someone waiting?_' Sanemi's eye widened as he stumbled to a stop. The voice was unmistakable. It haunted him in his sleep. _Why the fuck are you here, Kanae?_ His surroundings began to spin faster.

"This drug. It doesn't just knock you out. It helps you remember your happier moments. That way my children can pass on in peace." He could barely hear the faint voice of the demon. "I must say, your blood threw me for a loop. I'll definitely remember you. My name is Yume. What is yours?"

"You don't deserve to know." Sanemi managed to growl out as his surroundings began to change. It slowly morphed into a familiar flower field, one that he frequented with Kanae. There was a petite figure standing in front of him. _Shit, shit, break the fuck out._

'_My dream is to see the day that demons and humans can live together. In peace. They may have taken from us. But I'm sure that they also lost something._'

"Shut up!" Sanemi shouted, attempting to drown out the voice.

'_Let's just enjoy this time we have right now. We never know when it'll be our last day._' He collapsed on one knee.

"Allow me—" _Move. Get the fuck up!_ He was aware of Yume approaching him, but his body wasn't listening to him.

"Mom, what are you doing to him?" The voice of a child cut Yume off. Yume's head snapped towards the source. In his daze, Sanemi could barely make out the small stature of the child, but he was unable to see who it was.

"Were you going to kill him?" The trembling voice asked.

"Oh, Rokuta." Yume sighed, "I wish you would've just stayed inside." Just as Sanemi blinked, he felt wind rush past him. When he opened his eye again, Yume's hand went through Rokuta's body.

"Mom? What's happening?"

"What the fuck—" Sanemi clenched his sword.

"Rokuta!" The bloodcurdling scream made Sanemi's hairs stand on end. Looking for the source of the sound, he saw a new figure. It was Kamado Nezuko.


End file.
